Silvery mole-rats (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Heliophobius argenteocinereus</Emphasis>, Bathyergidae) change their burrow architecture seasonally

Little is known about seasonal changes in burrowing activity and burrow architecture in subterranean African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia). The solitary genus Heliophobius is the least known genus of this family. We examined burrow systems of the silvery mole-rat ( Heliophobius argenteocinereus) in Malawi in two periods of the dry season. Burrow pattern was influenced by the time of the year, becoming more reticulated at the peak of the dry season when soil was dry and hard. Overall digging activity did not cease during the dry season; yet burrowing strategy changed and the soil was deposited in tunnels rather than transported to mounds. The length of burrow systems was correlated with the body mass of the respective occupants. In spite of their solitary habits – and contrary to the prediction of the aridity food-distribution hypothesis – silvery mole-rats are able to occupy poor habitats with low food supply.     

GC-MS和GC-ECD同时在线观测本底大气中的HCFC-142b

2010年5月～2011年5月,利用自组装气相色谱-质谱联用法(GC-MS)和气相色谱-电子捕获检测法(GC-ECD)在线观测系统,在北京上甸子区域大气本底站开展了二氟一氯乙烷(HCFC-142b)在线观测对比实验,GC-MS和GC-ECD系统分析精度分别为0.23%和0.88%.观测期间HCFC-142b浓度变化范围约为21×10-12～355×10-12;通过独立样本T检验P>0.05,表明两种方法获得的HCFC-142b浓度数据无显著性差异;对两套系统观测浓度数据的差值分析表明,造成两套系统观测浓度间微小差别的主要因素是空气样品时间分辨率和观测精度.利用局部近似回归法进行本底值筛分,GC-MS和GC-ECD法获得的本底浓度均值差、中值差、25和75百分位数值差均优于系统观测精度.两种方法捕获HCFC-142b污染过程一致,污染浓度均具有夏秋高冬低的特点;两种方法观测HCFC-142b污染浓度的年变化趋势一致.     

Mole rats (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spalax ehrenbergi</Emphasis>) select bypass burrowing strategies in accordance with obstacle size

Mole rats inhabit extensive individual tunnel systems. Since the energetic cost of burrowing far exceeds that of surface locomotion, excellent orientation ability is crucial. Here we examined whether mole rats can bypass an obstacle (ditch) intersecting an existing tunnel in order to rejoin the two tunnel sections. The mole rats dug two bypass types, depending on the size of the obstacle confronting them: a bypass around the small ditches, parallel and close to the ditch walls; or a bypass beneath the floor of the large ditches. These results demonstrate that the mole rat has the ability to avoid obstacles by digging accurate and energy-conserving bypass tunnels. In order to utilize such a capacity, the mole rat must possess both the means to evaluate the size of the obstacle as well as the ability to perceive its exact position relative to the original tunnel that it will rejoin. Possible mechanisms of orientation that could explain such ability are briefly discussed.     

A comparative study of an innate immune response in Lamprologine cichlid fishes

Social interactions facilitate pathogen transmission and increase virulence. Therefore, species that live in social groups are predicted to suffer a higher pathogen burden, to invest more heavily in immune defence against pathogens, or both. However, there are few empirical tests of whether social species indeed invest more heavily in immune defence than non-social species. In the current study, we conducted a phylogenetically controlled comparison of innate immune response in Lamprologine cichlid fishes. We focused on three species of highly social cichlids that live in permanent groups and exhibit cooperative breeding (Julidochromis ornatus, Neolamprologus pulcher and Neolamprologus savoryi) and three species of non-social cichlids that exhibit neither grouping nor cooperative behaviour (Telmatochromis temporalis, Neolamprologus tetracanthus and Neolamprologus modestus). We quantified the innate immune response by injecting wild fishes with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a lectin that causes a cell-mediated immune response. We predicted that the three highly social species would show a greater immune reaction to the PHA treatment, indicating higher investment in immune defence against parasites relative to the three non-social species. We found significant species-level variation in immune response, but contrary to our prediction, this variation did not correspond to social system. However, we found that immune response was correlated with territory size across the six species. Our results indicate that the common assumption of a positive relationship between social system and investment in immune function may be overly simplistic. We suggest that factors such as rates of both in-group and out-group social interactions are likely to be important mediators of the relationship between sociality and immune function.     

崇明东滩表层沉积物中7Be活度的粒度效应

本文于2010年7月至2011年2月期间,每月于长江口区域崇明东滩的高、中、低不同潮滩采集表层沉积物样品,利用水淘选原理和沉积物分级装置进行粒度分级,获得从粗到细的A、B、C、D四种不同粒径大小（>63 μm、32~63 μm、16~32 μm以及8~16 μm）的样品组分及其相应的7Be活度。研究结果表明:粗粒级部分的含量随着离岸距离的增加而增高;细粒部分则反之。粒度由细到粗,7Be活度呈降低趋势。对分级后样品的粒径（φ单位）与7Be活度值做相关性研究发现,高、中潮滩沉积物7Be核素活度受降水影响大于低潮滩沉积物。相较于中低潮滩,位于高潮滩的14#站位,7Be活度与平均粒径的相关性最差。7Be活度和平均粒径相关性的季节性差异不甚明显。本研究结果表明,在利用7Be研究河口海岸区域中季节时间尺度颗粒悬浮物的输运和沉积过程当中,应充分考虑粒度效应的影响。     

Seasonal variations of soil bacterial communities in Suaeda wetland of Shuangtaizi River estuary, Northeast China

Estuarine wetland is the transitional interface linking terrestrial with marine ecosystems, and wetland microbes are crucial to the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients. The soil samples were collected in four seasons (spring, S1; summer, S2; autumn, S3; and winter, S4) from Suaeda wetland of Shuangtaizi River estuary, Northeast China, and the variations of bacterial community were evaluated by high-throughput sequencing. Soil properties presented a significant seasonal change, including pH, carbon (C) and total nitrogen (TN), and the microbial diversity, richness and structure also differed with seasons. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and Mantel tests implied that soil pH, C and TN were the key factors structuring the microbial community. Gillisia (belonging to Bacteroidetes) and Woeseia (affiliating with Gammaproteobacteria) were the two primary components in the rhizosphere soils, displaying opposite variations with seasons. Based on PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) prediction, the xenobiotics biodegradation related genes exhibited a seasonal decline, while the majority of biomarker genes involved in nitrogen cycle showed an ascending trend. These findings could advance the understanding of rhizosphere microbiota of Suaeda in estuarine wetland.     

Molecular ecological networks reveal the spatial-temporal variation of microbial communities in drinking water distribution systems

Microbial activity and regrowth in drinking water distribution systems is a major concern for water service companies. However, previous studies have focused on the microbial composition and diversity of the drinking water distribution systems(DWDSs), with little discussion on microbial molecular ecological networks(MENs) in different water supply networks.MEN analysis explores the potential microbial interaction and the impact of environmental stress, to explain the characteristics of microbial...     

Within-year differences in reproductive investment in laboratory zebra finches (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Taeniopygia guttata</Emphasis>), an opportunistically breeding bird

Reproduction in opportunistically breeding bird species has traditionally been considered non-seasonal with individuals taking advantage of favourable environmental conditions as they arise. However, some studies imply that this opportunistic breeding may be superimposed on an underlying seasonality, which has effects on the readiness to breed when conditions are favourable. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is the classic opportunistic breeder and widely used as such in studies. In a series of laboratory-based breeding experiments, we found evidence to suggest that there are seasonal differences in maternal reproductive investment in the zebra finch even when photoperiod, temperature, relative humidity and diet were held constant. Females showed highly significant seasonal differences in clutch size and egg mass with laying order. Clutch size showed a spring/summer peak typical of multi-brooded species in the wild. There was also a significant increase in egg mass with laying order in all seasons except winter. This variation in breeding parameters with season may allow females to adjust investment depending on the potential fitness returns from a given reproductive attempt. These findings also raise a warning about interpreting results of multiple zebra finch breeding experiments that have been carried out in different seasons.     

上海地区不同类和不同强度灰霾季节分布特征

主要采用美国宇航局(NASA)2007年1月-2010年11月CALIPSO卫星搭载的正交极化云-气溶胶激光雷达(CALIOP)L1产品及地面气象观测资料,分析得到上海地区干霾和湿霾、不同强度灰霾天气的季节分布特征,并重点研究了发生干霾时气溶胶散射强度、粒子规则性和尺度大小随季节的变化规律。结果表明:灰霾的发生具有较明显的季节性,春季为干霾高发期,其次是夏冬季;夏冬两季轻度以上干霾发生比例均大于春季与秋季;大气中主要以小尺度、较规则的气溶胶粒子为主;干霾时,气溶胶粒子和不同量级色比值所占比例季节变化不大;夏季发生干霾时小尺度粒子所占比例最大。     

Chemical characterization of size-resolved aerosols in four seasons and hazy days in the megacity Beijing of China

Size-resolved aerosol samples were collected by MOUDI in four seasons in 2007 in Beijing. The PM₁₀ and PM_1.8 mass concentrations were 166.0 ± 120.5 and 91.6 ± 69.7 μg/m³, respectively, throughout the measurement, with seasonal variation: nearly two times higher in autumn than in summer and spring. Serious fine particle pollution occurred in winter with the PM_1.8/PM₁₀ ratio of 0.63, which was higher than other seasons. The size distribution of PM showed obvious seasonal and diurnal variation, with a smaller fine mode peak in spring and in the daytime. OM (organic matter = 1.6 × OC (organic carbon)) and SIA (secondary inorganic aerosol) were major components of fine particles, while OM, SIA and Ca^2 + were major components in coarse particles. Moreover, secondary components, mainly SOA (secondary organic aerosol) and SIA, accounted for 46%–96% of each size bin in fine particles, which meant that secondary pollution existed all year. Sulfates and nitrates, primarily in the form of (NH₄)₂SO₄, NH₄NO₃, CaSO₄, Na₂SO₄ and K₂SO₄, calculated by the model ISORROPIA II, were major components of the solid phase in fine particles. The PM concentration and size distribution were similar in the four seasons on non-haze days, while large differences occurred on haze days, which indicated seasonal variation of PM concentration and size distribution were dominated by haze days. The SIA concentrations and fractions of nearly all size bins were higher on haze days than on non-haze days, which was attributed to heterogeneous aqueous reactions on haze days in the four seasons.     

Chemically mediated burrow recognition in the Mexican tarantula <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachypelma vagans</Emphasis> female

Chemically mediated communication is common in spiders but has been poorly studied in burrowing tarantulas. This study aimed to determine whether chemical cues influence the behaviour of females of Brachypelma vagans, a Mexican species of tarantula, during encounters with previously inhabited burrows or with extracts from the silk of conspecific females. In laboratory choice tests, female tarantulas entered a burrow that had previously been inhabited by a conspecific female significantly more frequently than a burrow that had never been inhabited. The identity of the previous inhabitant also affected the number of spiders that chose to enter a burrow. Spiders were quicker to choose and enter a burrow previously inhabited by themselves than a burrow previously inhabited by a conspecific or a burrow that had not been previously inhabited. Hexane, methanol and dichloromethane extracts of conspecific silk elicited different responses from female tarantulas when extracts were placed on filter paper disks at one end of an experimental arena with a control filter paper disk, on to which the corresponding solvent alone had been pipetted, placed on the other end of the arena. Spiders showed the strongest responses to hexane extracts of silk, with a significant preference to move towards the hexane extract and a significantly greater period of time spent in proximity to the hexane extract compared to the control disk. Overall and in contrast to expectations, tarantulas were most strongly attracted to the cues left by other conspecific females. As encounters between B. vagans females usually lead to aggression and mortality of one of the participants, we conclude that chemical cues are not signals that are deliberately released by burrow-inhabiting females but may inadvertently escape and cannot be easily suppressed.     

李家河水库上游水体溶解性有机物组分与来源

以李家河水库上游水体为研究对象,运用三维荧光光谱法解析水体溶解性有机物（DOM）的来源和特性,并探讨了DOM组分干湿季变化特征及影响因素.结果表明,李家河水库上游水体DOM由3个荧光组分组成,分别为类络氨酸（220nm,270nm/300nm）、UVA类腐殖质（250nm/430nm）和类色氨酸（225nm,280nm/335nm）,其中类络氨酸为主要组分,但其含量干湿季变化不大,而UVA类腐殖质和类色氨酸含量呈现出显著的季节差异.荧光特征指数表明,李家河水库上游水体DOM的来源具有显著的陆源特征,其特征在湿季更加显著.水体DOM各荧光组分在干湿季均与TP呈正相关;在湿季,类络氨酸组分与Chl-a、浊度和COD_Mn呈正相关,而在干季无相关性.UVA类腐殖质与DOC在干湿季均存在正相关关系,且在湿季相关性（P<0.01）大于干季（P<0.05）.类色氨酸与COD_Mn相关性也表现出湿季（P<0.01）大于干季（P<0.05）的特征.     

Field vole (Microtus agrestis) seasonal spacing behavior: the effect of predation risk by mustelids

There are numerous studies showing that predation risk may change different aspects of the behavior of prey, such as habitat use, activity pattern, and foraging. Prey should exhibit the strongest antipredatory response against their most deadly predator. Small mustelids are considered the most important mammalian predators of voles. Nevertheless, there is no general agreement as to whether strong antipredatory reactions exist in natural free-living populations of voles. Here, we studied the field vole Microtus agrestis spatial reaction to high predation risk from small mustelids in the breeding (August) and nonbreeding (October) seasons under natural conditions. Voles were exposed to a caged weasel (Mustela nivalis) and a stoat (Mustela erminea), as well as to the odors of these predators. The reactions of 30 field voles were monitored with radiotelemetry. The field voles were found to display antipredator reactions that varied with season. In the breeding period, in response to predation risk, voles reduced locomotory activity and daily-range size, whereas in the nonbreeding period they did not. Changes in home range position were similar for control and treatment voles, in both the breeding and nonbreeding periods. The results indicate that mustelid predators modify the spatial behavior of small rodents in natural conditions depending on season. This might be a reflection of differences in state-dependent responses to predation from sexually active or inactive individuals. This suggests that the basic antipredatory reaction of voles under high predation risk from small mustelids limits their locomotory activity.     

Seasonal dependency of controlling factors on the phytoplankton production in Taihu Lake, China

In this study, 44 profiles of gross primary productivity(GPP) and sunlight, along with water temperature, Chlorophyll-a(Chla) and nutrients, were observed in Meiliang Bay of Taihu Lake, China, in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Effects of water temperature, light,and nutrient concentration were examined in relation to the GPP-unit-Chla(GPP of algae per Chla). The results showed that the optimum temperature for the GPP of phytoplankton was 27.9°C, the optimal PNA-unit-Chla(photon number absorbed by phytoplankton per Chla) was 0.25(mol), and the HSCN-unit-Chla and HSCP-unit-Chla(half-saturation constants of nitrogen and phosphorus of algae per Chla) were 0.005(mg/L) and 0.0004(mg/L), respectively. The seasonal dependency of the effect of different factors on the GPP was analyzed. Compared with temperature and nutrients, light was found to be the most important factor affecting the GPP during the three seasons. The effect of temperature and nutrients on the GPP of phytoplankton has obvious seasonal change. In spring, temperature was the secondary factor affecting the GPP of phytoplankton, and the effect of nutrients may be negligible in the eutrophic lake on account of temperature limit, which showed that the GPP of algae was only affected by the physical process. In summer and fall, temperature didn't affect the GPP of algae, and the presence of nutrients was the secondary factor affecting the GPP of phytoplankton. From summer to fall, effect of phosphorus was weakened and effect of nitrogen was enhanced.     

太湖东北部沉积物生物可利用磷的季节性变化

对太湖东北部营养水平不同的梅梁湾,贡湖湾和胥口湾3湖区表层(0～10cm)沉积物中总磷与4种生物可利用磷的季节性变化进行了研究.结果发现,各湖区沉积物中总磷及各形态生物可利用磷的含量与其水体营养水平相一致;不同点位沉积物中总磷与各生物可利用磷含量存在较大差异,同一点位不同季节沉积物中总磷与生物可利用磷的含量也显著不同.表层沉积物中各生物可利用磷始终与总磷有很好的相关性并且随季节变化.建议评估沉积物对藻类的供磷能力及潜在释放危险时,以不同季节的总磷含量为依据进行比较分析更为确切.     

基于CMAQ的大气环境容量计算方法及控制策略

利用空气质量模型CMAQ建立了真实条件下基于不同达标率的大气环境容量计算方法,为大气环境质量管理提供了科学依据。采用CMAQ建立研究区域的空气质量模型系统,设置多层嵌套网格(最小网格分辨率3km),获得了2006年1月、4月、7月、10月(四季代表月)的小时污染物浓度值。通过调整研究区域的污染源排放量,并结合空气质量监测数据和环境空气质量标准,建立了不同污染物的达标率与环境容量关系曲线。研究证明,该方法可以确定可吸入颗粒污染物、二氧化硫和二氧化氮在不同达标率下的大气环境容量,并充分反映三种污染物环境容量的季节性变化特征。研究结果不仅有利于环境管理者制定针对研究区域的空气总量控制方案,还有助于构想基于季节性变化的污染控制策略。     

浙江临安大气本底站CO浓度及变化特征

利用基于光腔衰荡光谱(CRDS)技术自组装的大气CO在线观测系统,于2010年9月~2012年2月在浙江省临安大气本底站对大气CO进行了在线观测.结果表明临安站四季CO日变化明显受人为活动影响,分别在每日07:00~10:00和19:00~20:00出现峰值,夏季CO日平均浓度和振幅均最低,分别为314.3×10-9±7.6×10-9(摩尔分数,下同)和50.1×10-9±47.9×10-9.该站全年大气CO浓度呈现冬春季高、夏季低的趋势,与北半球瑞士Jungfraujoch站、青海瓦里关等站基本一致,但平均浓度明显高于其他国际站点,全年CO月均值振幅约为286.8×10-9±19.2×10-9.后向轨迹聚类和地面风结果分析表明,临安站非本底CO浓度主要来自于N-NNE-ENE扇区内城市及工业等人为排放所引起.春、夏和冬季最大的浓度抬升均出现在ENE风向,冬季抬升值最大,约为106.3×10-9±58.0×10-9.     

Spontaneous expression of magnetic compass orientation in an epigeic rodent: the bank vole,Clethrionomys glareolus

Magnetoreception has been convincingly demonstrated in only a few mammalian species. Among rodents, magnetic compass orientation has been documented in four species of subterranean mole rats and two epigeic (i.e. active above ground) species—the Siberian hamster and the C57BL/6J mouse. The mole rats use the magnetic field azimuth to determine compass heading; their directional preference is spontaneous and unimodal, and their magnetic compass is magnetite-mediated. By contrast, the primary component of orientation response is learned in the hamster and the mouse, but both species also exhibit a weak spontaneous bimodal preference in the natural magnetic field. To determine whether the magnetic compass of wild epigeic rodents features the same functional properties as that of laboratory rodents, we investigated magnetic compass orientation in the bank vole Clethrionomys glareolus (Cricetidae, Rodentia). The voles exhibited a robust spontaneous bimodal directional preference, i.e. built nests and slept preferentially along the north-south axis, and deflected their directional preference according to a shift in the direction of magnetic north, clearly indicating that they were deriving directional information from the magnetic field. Thus, bimodal, axially symmetrical directional choice seems to be a common feature shared by epigeic rodents. However, spontaneous directional preference in the bank vole appeared to be more pronounced than that reported in the hamster and the mouse. These findings suggest that bank voles are well suited for future studies investigating the adaptive significance and mechanisms of magnetic orientation in epigeic rodents.     

乌鲁木齐市降水酸碱度及电导率监测结果分析及改进建议

随着工农业的发展,降水化学特征的变化日益成为人们关注的焦点。通过对乌鲁木齐市2007年-2010年降水酸碱度和电导率的分析,探讨其动态变化特征,并分析不同降水形态、不同供暖季节和不同监测点差异性。结果表明:各年和月之间pH值具有波动变化特征,降雪和降雨两种降水形态、供暖季节以及各监测点对pH值影响较小。电导率对环境变化较为敏感,2007年-2010年电导率均值呈递增趋势。各月份之间电导率差异较大,2007年具有一定季节变化,2008年-2010年季节变化不明显。不同降水形态、供暖季节和各监测点之间差异显著。多数情况下,降雪和供暖季电导率高于降雨和非供暖季。随着城市规模的扩大和经济的发展,为了更加准确了解城市的降水化学特征变化动态,需要增加监测点位。     

长江口及邻近海域异戊二烯的浓度变化及海-气通量研究

于2014年2月(枯水季)和7月(丰水季)对长江口及其邻近海域海水中异戊二烯的浓度分布、季节变化及影响因素进行了研究,并计算了其海-气释放通量.分析结果表明:枯水季和丰水季表层海水中异戊二烯平均浓度(范围)分别为(6.28±2.33)((2.96～13.68))和(57.01±80.60)((6.82～432.6)) pmol·L~(-1),季节变化明显,但两个季节浓度高值均出现在长江口东侧及浙江东南部海域.丰水季异戊二烯在不同盐度梯度的浓度分布表明,海水中异戊二烯主要来源于浮游植物的原位生产,而不是直接由陆源输入.相关性分析中,仅发现枯水季温度与异戊二烯浓度存在一定的相关性.此外,枯水季和丰水季异戊二烯海-气通量平均值(范围)分别为(3.82±5.29)(0.07～27.18)和(12.29±16.61)(0.08～61.14) nmol·m~(-2)·d~(-1),表明长江口海域是大气中异戊二烯的源.